Overview
The 13th Ohio Cavalry (Union) was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, between May 5, 1864, and March 23, 1865. Initially composed of reenlisted men from the 4th and 5th Independent Cavalry Battalions (six months’ organizations) and new recruits from across Ohio, the regiment served in the Eastern Theater. Notably, the 13th Ohio Cavalry functioned as infantry until December 18, 1864, after which it was fully armed and equipped as a cavalry regiment.
The regiment participated in several significant operations during the final year of the Civil War, including actions around Petersburg and the closing campaigns leading to Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. The 13th Ohio Cavalry was mustered out of service on August 10, 1865, at Petersburg, Virginia.
Organization & Service
The 13th Ohio Cavalry was organized at Camp Chase, Ohio, from May 5, 1864, to March 23, 1865. Its ranks were filled by reenlisted members of the 4th and 5th Independent Cavalry Battalions and additional recruits from various parts of Ohio. Upon organization, the regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and initially served as infantry due to a shortage of cavalry equipment.
From its formation until December 18, 1864, the regiment participated in operations as infantry, including the Siege of Petersburg and related actions. On December 18, 1864, the unit was finally armed and equipped as cavalry and subsequently served in that capacity. The 13th Ohio Cavalry took part in the final campaigns of the war, including the Appomattox Campaign. The regiment was mustered out on August 10, 1865, at Petersburg, Virginia, by order of the War Department.
Research This Regiment Further
If you’d like to explore this unit’s history in more depth, regimental histories and Civil War reference works offer valuable detail.
Engagements & Campaigns
- Weldon Railroad
- Assault on Petersburg
- Reams’ Station
- Peebles’ Farm
- Poplar Spring Church
- Hatcher’s Run
- South Side Railroad
- Dinwiddie Court House
- Amelia Springs
- Jetersville
- Appomattox Court House (Lee’s Surrender)
Casualties
Specific casualty figures for the 13th Ohio Cavalry are not consistently reported in primary sources. Some details are incomplete in surviving primary sources.
Field Officers & Commanders
- Lieutenant Colonel Noah H. Hixon
- Lieutenant Colonel Stephen R. Clark
- Major John N. Cherry
- Major Francis C. Russell
- Major William Jarvis
- Major Richard H. Wheeler
Regimental Roster
The full roster of the 13th Ohio Cavalry, including officers and enlisted men, is available for genealogical and historical research. This roster provides names, ranks, and service details as recorded in official state and federal records.
To view the complete roster, visit the 13th Ohio Cavalry Regimental Roster page.
Sources & References
- Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, various volumes
- Ohio Roster Commission, “Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion”
- Dyer, Frederick H., “A Compendium of the War of the Rebellion”
- Fox, William F., “Regimental Losses in the American Civil War”
- “The Union Army,” Federal Publishing Company, 1908, Volume 2